A provincial health care watchdog is up in arms over new appointments to the Alberta Health Services Board, claiming the board is stacked with professionals who don’t represent the public interest.

Friends of Medicare executive director David Eggen said the new 15-member board is dominated by business, insurance and legal professionals with no background in health care.

“We have a strong tradition of public advocacy from each of the regions and right across the province. I think some more health expertise and experience would be better on this board. I really wonder what they were thinking,” he said.

Of the eight new board members, two are lawyers and five are corporate CEOs or vice-presidents. The lone physician, Dr. Andreas Laupacis, is the executive director of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

“The main thing is we want to make sure the decisions they’re making are up for full public discussion and make for a better public health care system in Alberta.

“I’m not sure if today’s announcement reflects those needs,” said Eggen.

He also questioned the appointment of Jim Clifford, vice-president of Quantia Communications in New Jersey, to a one-year term.

“Why does the board need to include a health-care corporate branding consultant from the United States?” he said.

Board president Kevin Hughes said the board announced from the beginning that it was looking for members from across North America, and that members were chosen based on their leadership and governance abilities, not a background in health care.

“We looked for people who can manage a large organization with 80,000 employees. Health care is special in some ways, but in other ways is no different than any other organization. Skills can be transferable from industry to industry,” he said.

Hughes defended Clifford’s appointment, noting that he is a University of Alberta alumnus who can offer the board a unique perspective.

“It is extremely helpful to have people who ask all kinds of questions, people who will ask questions Canadians wouldn’t, like ‘Why do you do this that way, why wouldn’t you look at this other way?’ ” he said.

But Hughes said there’s no connection between appointing an American board member and leaning toward health-care privatization.

“It’s got nothing to do with that. What we’re looking for is open, thoughtful, robust discussion.”

Gord Bontje, a local builder and former chairman of the Red Deer Catholic School Division board, is the only member from Central Alberta.

Bontje, who retired from the school board last year, is president and CEO of Laebon Homes. He said he was thrilled to hear of his appointment on Thursday and looks forward to tackling the challenges of taking over health-care governance for the entire province.

“I’m honoured to have been asked and I’m a little awed by the responsibility that comes with. I’m hoping I can do some good,” he said.

Bontje said he only recognized a few names on the list of new board members and that he will consider the first few months of his appointment a learning experience.

“This is a governance board, it deals with the governance of the system. I’m aware of the challenges, I too am a common Albertan, I will work for a solution for those problems,” he said.

Bontje said wait times, physician recruitment and the aging community are issues he expects to take on during his two-year term.

Next up for the board is an international search for a new CEO, CAO and CFO. The next meeting will take place in Calgary on Dec. 9 and 10.

Contact Paige Aarhus at paarhus@reddeeradvocate.com